Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, recently hosted a star-studded wedding that caught everyone’s attention. The high-profile guest list included President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk. So, whose special day attracted such distinguished guests? None other than Swedish LPGA golfer Daniela Holmqvist.
She tied the knot with Charles Schick last Friday in a ceremony that’s making waves across social media. The couple got engaged almost 1.5 years ago. At 37, Daniela Holmqvist has a fascinating background that traces back to her Swedish roots and a remarkable family sporting legacy that shaped her journey to professional golf and beyond.
Daniela Holmqvist: The Swedish helicopter pilot with a taste for fine wine
Born in Bern, Switzerland, on May 3, 1988, she didn’t stay in one place for long. She bounced around a bit as a kid—Italy first, then her family finally settled down in Stockholm. These days, she lives the snowbird life between Sweden and sunny South Florida, which works perfectly for her golf career.
But here’s the cool part: her family is packed with serious athletic talent. Her dad, Hans Holmqvist, wasn’t your average dad kicking a ball around on weekends. He was a legit pro soccer star who played for Sweden’s national team 27 times. And her grandpa—that is a story for itself. The man didn’t even start playing golf until he was 44—practically ancient in sports years—and still became a European Senior Golf Champion. No wonder Daniela gravitated toward sports with those genes.
But what really makes her different from other golfers isn’t her Swedish roots or famous dad—it’s all the wild stuff she does off the course. Back in 2019, she got hurt when a golf cart crashed into her. Most people would just Netflix and chill during recovery, but not her. “When I got injured there in China, I needed to do something. I just can’t just lay at home and watch Love Island,” she once explained.
So what did this golf pro do instead? First, she dove into studying wine for two and a half years until she became a certified Level 3 sommelier. That’s not just “I enjoy a good Cabernet” level—that’s serious expertise.
Then, in 2022, she went, and guess what she did? She learned to fly helicopters. Why the heck not? And during the Hawaii tournament in 2023, while other players were hitting the beach or getting massages, she was literally flying herself around the island between rounds.
Her passion for breaking barriers doesn’t stop there. She’s particularly proud of entering the male-dominated world of aviation, noting that only about 4% of helicopter pilots are women. “I think it’s cool for women to be accomplished and do things that perhaps mostly men do,” she once said, showing her determination to push boundaries both on and off the course.
From spider venom to LPGA challenges
You can’t talk about Holmqvist without mentioning “the spider incident.” Back in 2013, during qualifying for the Women’s Australian Open, something unbelievable happened. A redback spider—a cousin of the black widow—bit her, posing a potentially deadly threat. Did she panic? Nope. Did she withdraw? No.
Instead, she grabbed a golf tee, pierced her skin to squeeze out the venom, and then just…. kept playing. Let that sink in for a moment. This incredible display of toughness earned her worldwide headlines and the nickname “Spider Woman.” If that doesn’t tell you everything about her determination, nothing will.
She began her golf journey at the collegiate level, first at Tulane University, where she earned the title of Conference USA Freshman of the Year, before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley. At Cal, she wasn’t just another player—she helped the team grab the 2012 PAC-12 Championship trophy and snagged All-American honors before deciding to go pro.
Her LPGA Tour journey since 2014? It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, honestly. The numbers tell you part of it—about $623K in career money, a couple of top-10s, and 11 times finishing in the top 25 over 11 years. Her best moment came pretty recently—2023 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she was leading the whole tournament going into Sunday! She ended up with a T4, which doesn’t sound amazing unless you know how hard it is to even crack the top 5 in an LPGA event.
Oh, and back in 2020, she gave everyone a “whoa, who is this?” moment at the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon. The course was brutalizing players, but there was Daniela, casually building a one-shot lead after two rounds. She was the only person under par when half the tournament was done!
Moreover, she was the only player in the field to finish under par through 36 holes, which demonstrated her ability to handle challenging conditions at one of golf’s biggest events. Looking at her game specifically, her approach play is her strength—she currently ranks 11th in Strokes Gained Approach on Tour. That’s seriously impressive when you think about all the talent on the LPGA these days. The LPGA Tour is stacked with incredible players from around the world.
She’s still chasing that first win, but if there’s one thing you’ve got to respect about her, it’s that this woman just doesn’t quit. Injuries, setbacks, tough breaks? She just keeps coming back.
You’d think after that super fancy Mar-a-Lago wedding with Trump and Musk on the guest list (!), she’d be off honeymooning somewhere amazing for weeks. Nope! That’s not how she rolls. She’s already got her name down for the Ford Championship in Arizona when the Tour picks back up after the break.
The post Who Is Daniela Holmqvist? Everything to Know About the LPGA Pro Who Celebrated Her Special Day With Donald Trump and Elon Musk appeared first on EssentiallySports.
